Forearm bedding question

[glwenzl]

I see how the forearm is bedded in the FAQs but must have missed the Question lingering in the back of my mind.

Will bedding the forearm from the rear up to and including around the screw help or hurt accuracy?

How about if a guy plans to shoot using a bipod? Any particular place to bed?

I just fitted my first home-made forearm and left a little too much of a gap between the frame and the forearm. So instead of filling a hole and re-drilling the screw hole I decided to try and fill the gap using some of my bedding compound. The gap wasn’t bad but when I opened it I could feel just a lil x-movement that I did not like…

I couldn’t help myself and also bedded just under the first inch under the barrel…. Was going to go all the way to the screw but since it was an after thought and it looked like I might run short I didn’t….

The front part of the forearm is floated. I was thinking that if using a bipod it might help having bedding at the rear of the forearm too??? I figure it wouldn’t take but a minute to sand it back out if I done screwed up….

I made the forearm wide and flat but sill have some finish work to do on it as well as some sanding on the buttstock… Overall I am pleased with the way this project is turning out. I also noticed for the first time that this H&R frame I just bought will set the hammer using the hammer extension but using a thumb on the hammer itself it don’t want to catch very well… Might have to take it apart and see if there is anything I can do because I am not so sure that the transfer bar will keep the firing pin from hitting the primer if accidentally let go… Once latched it seems to hold ok???

Thanks for any thoughts on this and sorry if it has been hashed over a bunch of times…

FWIW I shot this with the 223 barrel just to get a feel for it and was shocked. This barrel with the same load use to have more recoil than I cared for in a plastic stock therefore never got shot much…. This wood stock I made really didn't seem that much heavier but it must be??? The darn thing shot almost like a 22 Hornet

[trotterlg]

Handi forearm work is all black magic anyway, you may find it shoots best if you bed only the laft hand front third and leave the rest alone.  Just a joke, but you get the picture, what works for one will not work for all.  My personal opinion is that the forearm should be slightly loose at the frame, then bed the whole thing with RTV and be done with it.  Larry

[glwenzl]

Thanks Larry!

Sounds like a Ruger #1. Been told to do different things however the only change I made was the load going from a standard 218 Bee load to using lilgun and a LFCD and it went from 2" vertically stringing to a nice 1/2" or lass group.

I'll leave it how I have it until the stock is completed and the 223 is test fired.... Maybe I'll get lucky

[Mac11700]

I don't full bed them anymore...I haven't found it to help...just getting a good thick bed of it down front & back helps it a-lot...at least 1/8" minimum...but I prefer 3/16" thick...it seems to make it very stable..Here's my latest getting ready to be done...the bottom of the picture is the rear of the forearm...

..

As soon as it is dry...I'll show you what it looks like...


This one similar to the top  one though...It turned out 1/8" thick...and I didn't extend it as far...


...

The latest one (top picture ) is a bit longer front & back...and will be a full 3/16" thick...with the full front still free floated a-lot...which is how I like them...

Mac

[glwenzl]

Nice job on the bedding!!! I might sand mine out and start over because i am not happy how it turned out.... you guys make it look so pretty too!

Here is the stock I finished it today and now need to oil it...





Nothing fancy but I am happy it turned out as good as it did using the bare min of wood working tools.... Only thing i know about wood working is to sand in the same direction as the gain.... I'm not smart enough to know what way the grain is running half the time though! LOL

[Mac11700]

Thanks...

As promised...

Here's my latest for my 25-06 Ultra...I just took it out of the tape...and cleaned it up just a bit...



This one is flush on the barrel stud plate to the wood with no RTV bedding in it...I sanded it down completely to allow it to take the RTV evenly all along the channel...and have solid contact in the cut out for it...I was going to steel bed it in there...but will shoot it like this first...I didn't want to have to wait a full 24 hours to pull it off and clean it...I have a matching fore arm and will do that next time on it......




Lots of room and no touching here...




Mac

[cascadedad]

Here's mine I did a while back.  Didn't come out as thick as I wanted.  I'll redo it one of these days.

[glwenzl]

Very nice works guys!

What kind of tape do you use to get that kind of thickness? I have just been using some stuff I call it silly putty or monkey crap that I damn it up with but it never turns out as nice and squared up as what I see here.

[Mac11700]

3m Scotch "Blue" painters tape

Mac

[Mac11700]

It shoots great...These are at 300 yards...and will be what I use this season...this and my CVA Elite 45-70...





Needless to say...I'm pretty happy with the results..

Mac

[Dave Allen]

wow that's good shooting...

[quickdtoo]

Very nice shooting!

Tim

[Mac11700]

(In my best Elvis imitation)

Ahhh..Thankyouverymuuuch...

Mac